Laois minor hurlers 2015

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

21st JUNE 2015

LEINSTER M.H.C.  Semi/Final

KILKENNNY V LAOIS 
12.00 Noon
NOWLAN PARK, KILKENNY

[Jimmy P]

1. Stephen Kelly (Rosenallis)
2. Joe Geaney (Portlaoise)
3. Conor Phelan (Castletown)
4. David Connolly (Ballyfin)
5. Liam O'Connell (Rathdowney Errill)
6. Denis Cahill (Park Ratheniska)
7. Lee Cleere (Clough Ballacolla)
8. Seán Downey (Ballinakill)
9. Stephen Dunphy (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton)
10. Stephen Phelan (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton)
11. Martin Phelan (Castletown)
12. Aaron Bergin (Portlaoise)
13. Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney Errill)
14. Robbie Phelan (Clough Ballacolla)
15. Aaron Dunphy (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton)

Team named for Sunday throw at the strange throw in time of 12 o clock.

David Connolly starts at 4 and will bring speed to the area.

Aaron Dunphy has been released from his sentence at centre back and will quality to the forward line. Dinny Cahill is not a natural centre back with the obvious choice to swap himself and Conor Phelan at 3 and 6 and a swift change if things arnt working here should suffice. In Cleere and o Connell we have 2 of the best young minors in the country who I just hope can improve their delivery to the forwards

Massive potential in this team and definitely have the hurlers to get a win here however concentration will be key. Fall asleep for 15 minutes like we did against Offaly and we will be buried. I hope the sideline are quick to rectify scenarios if things are going against us unlike the Offaly match. Quality of ball into our forwards has to improve and performances like Downey at midfield and Phelan at centre forward cannot be tolerated for 50 - 55 minutes as they were in the quarter final.

We could be looking at a Leinster final if we get one hell of a performance and I just have the feeling we may sneak it.

[portlaoisekid]

Agree with Jimmy , I think we will sneak it.

This team has something about them, if they can get over the mental edge KK will have of playing at home I think we will win .

[Thewildcat]

are you mad portlaoisekid its not offaly they are hurling today.

[Thewildcat]

kilkenny 2-18 laois 0-11, as like the senior portlaoisekid the likes of laois offaly carlow westmeath are miles behind the big guns laois have beaten offaly the last last 4 years in a row but no one else.

[burdizzo]

Well, they did beat Wexford in 2013. Or are they not a big gun any more?
However, extremely disappointing minor result, and you're right - they just can't beat Kilkenny...

[Thewildcat]

its not just kilkenny, yes there is great work going on in underage in laois, but they need a minor or under 21 leinster win to kick start it, Dublin won the under 21 in was 07 or 08, a few minor titles came then seniors league title and leinster championship title, offaly now have to start at the bottom and work again the 1978 leinster win over laois who let me add had a fine team that time and would walk on to todays side the minors of 1986-89 came the 90's team, and won't be back till some other underage side take a title or two.

[G@@]

Dinny Cahill's injury, Kavanagh's broken fingers and another player whose name escapes me had a cut hand today from an injury yesterday. It seems we have no luck.

[Jimmy P]

Unfortunately you make your own luck and we were never in the position to make it.

In both halves our half forward line simply could not win any possession. Bergin from Portlaoise was trying to take puck outs down with his hurl... on his hurl FFS in Nowlan Park of all places. We looked ill prepared again for a team that could actually hurl on the move. Striking was poor across the board and decision making was terrible. Not one lad performed as they can. Full back line did reasonably well considering the space allowed in front of them for balls to be placed.

As much as it hurts to admit you would have to agree with some of Wildcats sentiments. For all our apparent advances at underage levels we still haven't beaten a Kilkenny as of yet. For me they are the benchmark at underage level. Critchely has done a wonderful job implementing the setanta and Cuchulain programme but perhaps he has taken the minor group for one year too long and needs to let fresh blood in at this level. As far as I'm aware Lee Cleere, David Connolly the two Dunphys, Robbie Phelan and Stephen Phelan are under-age next year so on this basis the spine of next years minors should be strong. A new voice and fresh ideas is what may be required to drive us to that elusive first Leinster win

[redsetanta]

Critchely gave the impression that he would step away from the minors during his post match interview.

[Jimmy P]

So I heard. Right thing to do IMO

[Don Draper]

Critchely gave the impression that he would step away from the minors during his post match interview.

Been flagged for a while, he is moving back down to the Setanta program to give that another push. Fair play to him, he is some man for what he gives to Laois Hurling.

[redsetanta]

In fairness to him he only stepped up to the minors when Cheddar got the senior job. He is a very important figure for Laois hurling and it's great to see him back with the younger lads. He would probably get more satisfaction there anyhow.

[blueandwhite1]

I think it is fantastic that he is stepping back down the chain - for the benefit of the future.

He and will have learned a lot about the deficiencies we showed yesterday (unable to compete at the top level for primary possession, losing the physical confrontations around the middle third and poor return at the 'breakdown' to use a rugby term). Much has improved, there is no doubt whatever of that and we are still producing at least 2-3 hurlers a year that will go on to become good seniors. However, we MUST learn from days like yesterday in order to avoid them in the future.

Notably, the same issues we had at minor yesterday were obvious in the senior game (totally outmuscled and out hurled in the breakdown) and also in the Waterford game last year. I remember a few years ago Galway put a huge emphasis in developing more physically competitive hurlers that can compete for dirty ball and Waterford have done the same. The results are obvious. No point having nice hurlers if they can't get near the ball.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Laois minor manager Pat Critchley on their loss to Kilkenny
https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/pat-critchley-post-kilkenny